Happy Election Day, Cinco de Mayo, and My Anniversary!

We have a local election today in Alexandria, and I split much of my time between standing in front of a polling place to hand out sample Democratic ballots for City Council and Mayor, and calling voters to urge them to rush to the polls and vote Mimi Carter onto the School Board. At last report, voter turnout was low, but I'm optimistic. The polls close in an hour, at 7 p.m. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Meanwhile, it's my 19th wedding anniversary, but I've been busy being political, and my husband has class tonight and won't be home until late. So we'll have to celebrate on the weekend.

Now I'm going to Mimi's house to make some more phone calls for our last hour of poll time, and to celebrate (I hope) her victory with a Cinco de Mimi party.

Catherine M. Petrini

Who Am I?

I am a published author of 28 books for children and young adults, a former magazine editor, and mom to an 8th-grader. My published works include 20 books for Sweet Valley High and other teen fiction series, all written under pseudonyms. My nonfiction kids' books, written under my own name, are on topics ranging from Dragons to Stonehenge to the Cherokee Indians. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, drawing, photography, traveling, overthrowing the governments of small countries, befriending dragons, slaying demons, and ruining my son's life by making him do his homework.